Preview — The Truth About Leaving
by Natalie Blitt

The Truth About Leaving

Lucy Green thought she had her senior year in the bag. Cute boyfriend? Check. College plan? Check.

But when her boyfriend dumps her the week before school starts and she literally stumbles into Dov, the new Israeli transfer student, on her first day of school, Lucy’s carefully mapped-out future crumbles.

Determined to have a good senior year, and too busy trying to hold heLucy Green thought she had her senior year in the bag. Cute boyfriend? Check. College plan? Check.

But when her boyfriend dumps her the week before school starts and she literally stumbles into Dov, the new Israeli transfer student, on her first day of school, Lucy’s carefully mapped-out future crumbles.

Determined to have a good senior year, and too busy trying to hold her family together while her mom is across the country working, Lucy ignores the attraction she feels to Dov. But soon, Lucy and Dov’s connection is undeniable. Lucy begins to realize that sometimes, you have to open yourself up to chance. Even if the wrong person at the wrong time is a boy whose bravery you admire and who helps you find your way back to yourself....more

Community Reviews

I have been eagerly awaiting a new YA read from Natalie Blitt ever since I fell for The Distance from A to Z. This book was so different from her debut but in a powerful and emotional way. I adored the characters, the story and the heart of The Truth About Leaving.

At the heart of it, The Truth About Leaving is the tale of how two lovely teenagers find each other and grow. It made my poor little ache and swell with emotions and it was all thanks to the characters. Lucy was the shining star of thI have been eagerly awaiting a new YA read from Natalie Blitt ever since I fell for The Distance from A to Z. This book was so different from her debut but in a powerful and emotional way. I adored the characters, the story and the heart of The Truth About Leaving.

At the heart of it, The Truth About Leaving is the tale of how two lovely teenagers find each other and grow. It made my poor little ache and swell with emotions and it was all thanks to the characters. Lucy was the shining star of this book. Her voice was fresh and relatable. What struck me was Lucy sense of loyalty to her family. In her senior year, her mom decides to accept a job in a different state, leaving Lucy and her dad to fend off for themselves and for her brothers. Instead of spending her time doing teenage things, she would spend her free time looking after her little brothers and she would do it without complaining. Throughout the book, we see how she discovers new parts of herself and learns to stand up for what she wants. I especially the storyline of her making decisions on where to go to college and what she wanted to do with her life. It was thought-provoking and I think many teens will relate to that.

Dov comes into Lucy's life as a transfer student from Israel. At first, I wasn't quite sure what to make of him. He had this intense quietness to him that took a while to figure out. Soon, we realize the grief that he was going through and it just about broke me. Dov was a sweet boy who deserved nothing but happiness. The friendship that he formed with Lucy was one of the highlights of the book. The two of them discover their shared love for poetry and their Jewish identities. What followed was a friendship that had both its ups and its downs, but that slowly forced them to grow while also falling in love. There was something very peaceful about their relationship that's hard to put into words.

As you can imagine, family is also a big part of The Truth About Leaving and it was executed so perfectly. Lucy's grandmother, especially, was insightful, clever and just the funniest. I loved this woman! I also have to give a shout out to Lucy's best friend who was just one of the most supportive girlfriends I have ever come across in a book.

The Truth About Leaving was a touching tale of love, family, and decisions. This one needs to be on your to-read lists....more

The Truth About Leaving by Natalie Blitt is a book that is both upbeat and heavy as it tells the story of two teens figuring out their futures. I found certain aspects such as the use of poems to communicate interesting, but I didn’t enjoy reading about either of the main characters. The plot is also very convenient, and because of this, I didn’t love the book as much as I had anticipated.

The Truth About Leaving by Natalie Blitt is a book that is both upbeat and heavy as it tells the story of two teens figuring out their futures. I found certain aspects such as the use of poems to communicate interesting, but I didn’t enjoy reading about either of the main characters. The plot is also very convenient, and because of this, I didn’t love the book as much as I had anticipated.

The Truth About Leaving is a love story about two teens who meet and try to figure out what they’re going to do after high school and how that will impact the other person. There are some interesting poems shared throughout the novel which I thought was a creative way for the characters to communicate, and I also loved the ballet aspects. As well, there is a strong theme of family which is complicated as the main character is forced to assume more responsibility in the household. Overall, I found this book to be relatable but also heavy at times, creating a nice balance.

❀ CREATIVE AND INTERESTING CONCEPT

While I found the concept of the book to be interesting, I didn’t really love either of the main characters. Lucy is facing some tough decisions as she is about to graduate, and it is easy to see how caring she is. That being said, she is pretty plain, and I couldn’t get past some of the ignorant remarks she makes. As for Dov, he is rude, especially at the beginning of the book, and he is still a jerk as his relationship with Lucy progresses. Because I found the characters dislikable, I couldn’t support and root for their relationship as much as I wished I could have. This proved to be an issue for me as the romance is the focus of the book.

❀ SIMPLISTIC PLOT

Another aspect of the book I didn’t enjoy was the predictable plot. The story is pretty simple, which one could generally expect from a contemporary coming of age novel, but many of the events are awfully convenient. Normally, this is something that I am willing to ignore, but some of the things that take place are too perfect. Personally, I couldn’t see them happening realistically, especially because of the way things unfolded. There are other ways of executing the story that are a little more believable.

The Truth About Leaving is a story that is both sweet and serious as the characters plan their futures. Although I found the concept intriguing, I didn’t enjoy the characters or the simplistic and unbelievable plot. I didn’t completely dislike this book, but I feel like it could have been better executed....more

Should Lucy take a chance on love so soon after her betrayal? And why bother investing her time and herself in a relationship with an expiration date? Lucy dealt with these and other questions of the heart during her senior year, which was a year filled with lots of change, joy, disappointment, and growing up.

• Pro: I adored both Dov and Lucy, which was a good thing, because this was very much a character driven story.

• Pro: Blitt did such a good job conveying the characters' emotions. This wasShould Lucy take a chance on love so soon after her betrayal? And why bother investing her time and herself in a relationship with an expiration date? Lucy dealt with these and other questions of the heart during her senior year, which was a year filled with lots of change, joy, disappointment, and growing up.

• Pro: I adored both Dov and Lucy, which was a good thing, because this was very much a character driven story.

• Pro: Blitt did such a good job conveying the characters' emotions. This was especially true of Dov. His sadness and conviction came across so clear. I was really captivated by his desire to serve his country, and Dov reminded me of an Israeli exchange student from my high school, who spoke the same way about her service commitment. I also thought Lucy's unease about her future was well illustrated, and I really appreciated all the different choices Blitt had her explore, because I think those alternatives are often overlooked.

• Pro: Lucy suffered some big changes in her life all at once, but it was great that she had people like her grandmother, her best friend, and her teacher to support her. While Lucy grappled with her loyalty to her family, it was those three who reminded her, that she had rights and needs too.

• Pro: I couldn't even with Lucy's mother, but I thought her father was great. There were these rather honest discussions between them, which were really healthy and productive, and I really liked seeing that side of a parent-child relationship.

• Pro: I LOVED all the poetry and ballet that was incorporated into the story. Both were such wonderful outlets for the characters and gave them a chance to share their passion with us.

• Pro: I thought the ending was brilliant and meaningful. It wasn't super neat and tidy, if you think about it, but it was a great way to illustrate the tremendous growth Lucy experienced over the course of the book.

Overall: An emotional and heartwarming tale of friends, family, love, growth, and learning to make tough choices.

Here’s the truth about THE TRUTH ABOUT LEAVING – this book broke me in the best way possible. Lucy is such a caring, open-hearted character, a girl who, as many girls are taught to do, takes care of everyone else’s needs before her own. So it’s perhaps inevitable when she falls for handsome, damaged Dov. Blitt gives us a portrait of two young people with a strong sense of responsibility and honor – and their romance both honors that in both of them and helps each find their own path, even when tHere’s the truth about THE TRUTH ABOUT LEAVING – this book broke me in the best way possible. Lucy is such a caring, open-hearted character, a girl who, as many girls are taught to do, takes care of everyone else’s needs before her own. So it’s perhaps inevitable when she falls for handsome, damaged Dov. Blitt gives us a portrait of two young people with a strong sense of responsibility and honor – and their romance both honors that in both of them and helps each find their own path, even when that means finding the courage to stand up for their own needs. I was honestly not sure how Blitt would be able to pull a satisfying ending out of their predicament, but oh yes, she did, and I’ll be thinking about Lucy and Dov and this gem of a book for a long time....more

3.5 stars.I’m a little on the fence about this one. I was eagerly anticipating Natalie Blitt’s next young adult contemporary after The Distance from A to Z. I really liked that one a lot and Blitt’s writing is still great throughout this one. This was much more emotional than I was ultimately prepared for. It was so different than anything else I’ve ever read. There was a lot of great poetry discussed through the book that I really enjoyed. But, I also felt like it was slow paced and really hard3.5 stars.I’m a little on the fence about this one. I was eagerly anticipating Natalie Blitt’s next young adult contemporary after The Distance from A to Z. I really liked that one a lot and Blitt’s writing is still great throughout this one. This was much more emotional than I was ultimately prepared for. It was so different than anything else I’ve ever read. There was a lot of great poetry discussed through the book that I really enjoyed. But, I also felt like it was slow paced and really hard to relate to these characters. Lucy definitely changed throughout but she was not what I would call a normal teenager at all even from the beginning. She basically had her life plan worked out, and hadn’t given any thought to anything except that, and it wasn’t because of parental influence either. Dov was pretty difficult to get a proper read on. He was dealing with some very heavy issues. The whole story and these characters have given me a lot to think about.

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more

This review was originally posted on Andi's ABCsI received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.A few years back I read a book from a new debut author and I fell in live with it. So much so in fact I made a lot of people I know also read it and fall in love with it. That book was Natalie Blitt's The Distance Between A to Z. Since the I have been waiting for a new book from Natalie (I just found out about heThis review was originally posted on Andi's ABCsI received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.A few years back I read a book from a new debut author and I fell in live with it. So much so in fact I made a lot of people I know also read it and fall in love with it. That book was Natalie Blitt's The Distance Between A to Z. Since the I have been waiting for a new book from Natalie (I just found out about her two books published by Scholastic) to arrive and when I heard about The Truth About Leaving I was so ecstatic. And man did it live up to my over hyped expectations. It was so good. So good in fact I think I love it more that I did The Distance from A to Z.

The Truth About Leaving is the story of Lucy and Dov, two very different people on very different paths that cross and change both of them drastically. Lucy has everything figure out. She know where she is going to college and what she wants to study and what her life will look like. That is until her mom takes a job in a different state and Lucy's boyfriend breaks up with her. Now Lucy is trying to find her footing and figure out what she really wants. When she literally runs into Dov, the new student from Israel, the two of them start to learn things about themselves and the world and use each other to figure out what they both want.

There aren’t enough words for me to tell you how much I actually love Lucy and Dov and their whole story. It is one of those rare books that you didn’t know you needed to read and it takes you completely by surprise. I laughed and I cried watch these two deal with life and responsibilities that an 18 year old doesn’t always have to deal with. They broke my heart a lot of the time when they fumbled through things and got scared and ran. They also filled me with so much love and hope. Simply put they are everything amazing about reading.

I waited years for this book and Natalie did not let me down. She gave me a book that wasn’t something I read a lot of in YA. She introduced me to a culture I now know more about, and two characters I hope are happy long after the pages end. I can’t say enough how much you need this book in your life. Go and get it as soon as humanly possible!...more

This book absolutely blew me away. From the premise itself I knew it was going to be fantastic and heartfelt, but what I experienced was so, so much more than I expected. I finished this in one sitting (it’s 02:08 as I write this), within a couple of hours and I’m still reeling from the beautiful reading experience.

Following Lucy through such a pivotal time of her life when she’s attempting to pick a college and finding a path that is really going to make her happy. Throughout the story she makThis book absolutely blew me away. From the premise itself I knew it was going to be fantastic and heartfelt, but what I experienced was so, so much more than I expected. I finished this in one sitting (it’s 02:08 as I write this), within a couple of hours and I’m still reeling from the beautiful reading experience.

Following Lucy through such a pivotal time of her life when she’s attempting to pick a college and finding a path that is really going to make her happy. Throughout the story she makes choices and breaks out of the boxes that society/her parents have made her construct. She smashes through the expectations and follows her own path and I truly found that element massively beautiful; the story discusses the importance of forging your own path and how to begin doing that. The growth that Lucy goes through is absolutely astronomical and she grew from a high schooler excited for senior activities to an adult excited for new experiences — experiences that she wasn’t afraid to shout about and be excited for. She is a character I massively admire.

Dov was also a character that my heart warmed to immediately. He is a sweetheart with a heart of gold and so much love to give. His character development was also fantastic throughout — and he expressed the importance of sticking to what is important to you and what matters to you no matter what anyone else says. He also brings forward the importance of compromise, family connections, friends, relationships, and the importance of not being alone. Dov & Lucy’s relationship was absolutely mind blowing. I loved the chemistry and the poetry aspect, and loved that they began to open up to each other using poetry as a device.

Following a young adult learning a new country after moving from war ridden Israel was so profound. The misconceptions that people have and how it can feel for the person relocating were written exquisitely, so much so that you felt as if you were actually nestled in Dov’s heart, feeling what he felt.

I loved the cultural/religious aspects throughout this, also, and the Hebrew elements throughout. I adored that it was a primary element in the story. I loved reading about different cultural experiences, different religions and the acceptance that was shown — particularly between Lucy & Dov’s families.

This just felt so real. From the family conflicts, to the stroppy teenage moments, to the powerful romance — I felt like I was dunked in head first into a beautiful story, and I loved every single minute of it.

This book was fantastically well written, incredibly moving, massively powerful and astounding. It is a voice that has needed to be heard in the YA genre for a long time and to have something such as this pop up is amazing. This would be a perfect read for any person, particularly those who are Jewish. I’m so happy that I got to read this book and I recommend it to every single person whom this book appeals to. It ticks all of the boxes, every single one of them, and even made me weep a little!

It must be noted that there is also LGBTQ+ representation in this book through Lucy’s grandmother who is absolutely ADORABLE and one of my favourite characters....more

The Truth About Leaving is a beautifully honest love story between two teens, Lucy and Dov who have both had so much responsibility at such a young age. Even with some very had hitting topics, this definitely has the perfect mix of the drama and the humor of a teen romance. Throughout the book we see the characters grow and learn more about the world and what their place is going to be in it.

Lucy's voice and her love for quoteI received and eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Truth About Leaving is a beautifully honest love story between two teens, Lucy and Dov who have both had so much responsibility at such a young age. Even with some very had hitting topics, this definitely has the perfect mix of the drama and the humor of a teen romance. Throughout the book we see the characters grow and learn more about the world and what their place is going to be in it.

Lucy's voice and her love for quotes and words is what ultimately drew me into this book in the beginning. I have that same love for quotes and expressing how I feel and although I dont have the strongest opinion on poetry I could feel the emotion Lucy and Dov felt when they discussing poems which meant so much to them. I also felt this similar emotion what they were talking about their Jewish identity and what it meant to them to go to Israel and share their culture.

Although the romance between Lucy and Dov was the main plot of the book, the focus on the family really hit hard for me. I understand what its like to have so much responsibility within the family that it feels like I cant make my own choices. The conversations between Lucy and her mother were so real and although it sometimes hurt to read them it was so brutally honest and was like I could have had the conversation with my own mother.

One of the main points this book stated was that college does not always have the be the automatic go to option after high school and that there are other options which can be just as rewarding. The themes surrounding this were very similar to Alice Oseman's Radio Silence and I love how this is becoming a topic of conversation in a lot more books. Even if the protagonist does decide to carry on with the college route I wish I had more books like this when I was in High School myself because I definitely would have give it a lot more thought to what I wanted to do because I just went for the easiest option.

There was quite a lot packed into a shorter book and this is one I will be picking up many times when I need a beautiful and heartwarming romance....more

About: Lucy just started her senior year and their school has a transfer senior for the first time in years- Dov who has come from Israel and plans to go back to join the army by the end of the year. When Lucy and Dov start to develop a relationship, it feels right. But they both know that Dov has to go back when the year ends. This book has the perfect titThis review is also up on my blog:https://princessofbookaholics.wordpre...

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

About: Lucy just started her senior year and their school has a transfer senior for the first time in years- Dov who has come from Israel and plans to go back to join the army by the end of the year. When Lucy and Dov start to develop a relationship, it feels right. But they both know that Dov has to go back when the year ends. This book has the perfect title and story is just about that.

Characters: Lucy is a very relatable character. The way she has to manage her time in respect to others and cancel her plans to babysit her little brothers or fill in for her mom who took up a job miles away is what makes her a submissive character. Dov is a gentleman who is dealing with his own grief. Both characters are very lovable. I found Lucy's mom selfish in many ways. Plus point for having Jewish characters and the Hebrew language.

Feelings: I loved the author's The Distance from A to Z so I was extremely thrilled when I received an ARC of this book becoming my 100th read of the year. This book was based more on reality than romance. It was cute but also dealt with important subjects like grief. It was emotional and adorable at the same time.

Recommendation: Yes. It was a great read with understanding characters and a heartbreaking story....more

The Truth About Leaving tells us Lucy Green's story. Lucy is about to start her senior year when her boyfriend breaks up with her out of the blue. She feels lost in every area of her life and doesn't know what to do with herself anymore. It doesn't help that her mother just left for a job across the country and barely keeps in touch and that it means that she has to help around the house sacrificing her social life a*3.5 Stars*

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Truth About Leaving tells us Lucy Green's story. Lucy is about to start her senior year when her boyfriend breaks up with her out of the blue. She feels lost in every area of her life and doesn't know what to do with herself anymore. It doesn't help that her mother just left for a job across the country and barely keeps in touch and that it means that she has to help around the house sacrificing her social life and extracurricular activities, like her dancing. When she meets Dov, a transfer student from Israel, she realizes her priorities need to change.

I mostly liked this. Lucy was interesting and so was her family situation. What I had trouble with was her relationship with Dov. The insta-love thing really doesn't work for me. There was also a lot of army talk and glorifying the fact that 18 year old kids have to enlist and I just can't agree with that. I felt for Dov but I didn't fall for him. I enjoyed Lucy's character development but I didn't fall for her either. I guess I didn't really relate to any of them.Still, it was a pretty interesting book and I'm sure lots of people would enjoy it....more

The Truth About Leaving was a super-fast read for me, because I loved Natalie Blitt's debut, The Distance from A to Z, and I couldn't wait to dig into another YA romance by her. Like her debut, Blitt created honest, passionate, and real characters in Dov and Lucy, and I totally fell for them.

Natalie Blitt has the ability to make you drown in a romance and ache for the characters and their plight. This is one of those books that reminds you of the overwhelming feeling of first love, of true loveThe Truth About Leaving was a super-fast read for me, because I loved Natalie Blitt's debut, The Distance from A to Z, and I couldn't wait to dig into another YA romance by her. Like her debut, Blitt created honest, passionate, and real characters in Dov and Lucy, and I totally fell for them.

Natalie Blitt has the ability to make you drown in a romance and ache for the characters and their plight. This is one of those books that reminds you of the overwhelming feeling of first love, of true love, and maybe, finding love too young. It's a book that realistically allows its characters to find themselves and what they want, to leap into their futures uncompromisingly.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review. The first thing that stuck out to me about this novel, was the simplistic style of writing. In doing this, the author really delved into the deep and pure connection between the main character, Lucy, and her love interest, Dov. It was much different from stereotypical love stories between two high schoolers, where Dov is complicated, moody, and brings an enriching cultural factor to the story. The author also uses Lucy's character to highI was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review. The first thing that stuck out to me about this novel, was the simplistic style of writing. In doing this, the author really delved into the deep and pure connection between the main character, Lucy, and her love interest, Dov. It was much different from stereotypical love stories between two high schoolers, where Dov is complicated, moody, and brings an enriching cultural factor to the story. The author also uses Lucy's character to highlight a problem that is rarely featured in this genre- the pure fear of being a young adult forced to make big adult decisions when you've barely had time to discover who exactly you are. This made Lucy relatable to me, as I wish that when I were her age that I could've made better choices like she had!

The connection between Dov and Lucy, I found to be beautiful and breathtaking. Their story felt real and believable, and I actually found myself wishing that we could have more stories about them when the story came to a close. This author will definitely now be on my radar when I'm looking for something new to read!

(Also, I LOVED the representation of Chicago/Evanston. I feel like there's hardly ever any books based out of Chicago, so it was nice to read something with such familiar landmarks. Really brought me into the story. :) )...more

Oh, I just adore when I find a book that manages to be sweet and swoony while still feeling serious and grounded, and The Truth About Leaving gave me all those feels and more. I fell in love with Natalie Blitt's writing after her debut, and her second novel certainly doesn't disappoint. Lucy and Dov are teens who both carry responsibility beyond their years, and them finding- and losing- each other is both beautiful and heart-wrenching. I wanted to hug the book when I was finished with it and teOh, I just adore when I find a book that manages to be sweet and swoony while still feeling serious and grounded, and The Truth About Leaving gave me all those feels and more. I fell in love with Natalie Blitt's writing after her debut, and her second novel certainly doesn't disappoint. Lucy and Dov are teens who both carry responsibility beyond their years, and them finding- and losing- each other is both beautiful and heart-wrenching. I wanted to hug the book when I was finished with it and tell the characters everything would be okay. An emotional, insightful, sensitive look at family, friendship, love, and the choices that define our lives....more

This is a character-driven coming of age story that touches on the topics of grief, duty, responsibility, education, family, and love. But at its heart, this is a story about growing up. It is about figuring out what you want to do with your life rather than just doing what others want for you. It is about learning and making tough decisions. I felt this book was a very realistic and highly emotional portrayal of the issues and stresses that many high school students experience as they prepare tThis is a character-driven coming of age story that touches on the topics of grief, duty, responsibility, education, family, and love. But at its heart, this is a story about growing up. It is about figuring out what you want to do with your life rather than just doing what others want for you. It is about learning and making tough decisions. I felt this book was a very realistic and highly emotional portrayal of the issues and stresses that many high school students experience as they prepare to embark on life as adults. Here are my Pros and Cons:

Pros1. I definitely fell in love with Lucy and Dov. I thought it was a touching and realistic romance between two mature young adults. I love how they bonded over their shared love of poetry. I felt the book at quite an intellectual slant to it and I really appreciated that. 2. I loved seeing Israel through Dov’s eyes. It was clear he loved where he was from and it wasn’t just from a superficial level. I also loved that the author put plenty of Hebrew in the book – I learned some vocabulary!3. Lucy and Dov were both really relatable characters. The reader easily becomes emotionally connected to both and will ultimately root for them! Their maturity and growth throughout the book was a joy to read. I think a lot of teens/young adults will feel an instant connection to Lucy in particular. 4. The book has a storyline that addresses grief and loss of a loved one. I thought the topic was respectfully and realistically incorporated into the story, without making the story overly sad or depressing. 5. Lucy had some tough discussions with her parents. I thought those were handled extremely well. I thought Lucy’s final confrontation with her parents about her college decision was particularly well written. Lucy and her parents were at odds over her decision. There was anger and confusion and the discussion was tense, but it was also civil. It was nice to see a confrontation that didn’t end up just being a screaming match between participants.6. I think this would be a great book for parents of high school seniors to read. It might remind of them that mapping out a future is hard and super stressful… particularly at such a young age. Support and encouragement can be way more beneficial than providing a specific roadmap that may not match the desires of their child. On the flip side, I hope that young adults reading this book will understand that not all parents will discourage your dreams (even if they don’t understand them) and that you need to have a dialogue with your parents so they understand what you want and need for your future. Both sides need to LISTEN and LEARN and UNDERSTAND. The best decisions are made when those three things occur!7. I kind of wanted to see/read Lucy’s walls!8. Amy (a.k.a. Grandma) was an awesome character – definitely not a typical grandma! I became a step-grandma (Grammy) myself at age 32, so I am not your typical grandmother figure either. I totally related to Amy in this book because I try to communicate (talk and listen) to my granddaughter (who is 15 now) the way Amy communicates with Lucy in the book. I REALLY loved Amy! There is a line in the book that actually says something like “Everyone needs an Amy in their lives!” and I couldn’t agree more!9. The ending wasn’t what I anticipated and that is a good thing. I thought the ending was appropriate and very satisfying.

Cons1. I hated how much responsibility the parents put on Lucy. I know it was a plot point and necessary for the story, but jeez! They sure expected a lot from her!2. Lucy’s mom was super selfish in my opinion. I did not like the mom character one bit.

YA romances can sometimes seem a little silly and overly dramatic to me. They are often written with some kind of contrived misunderstanding that everyone has to overcome for the “happily ever after” to happen. This book was totally different in my opinion. While this story also had a conflict to overcome, the conflict was authentic and serious… it felt realistic and not at all contrived. The romance between Lucy and Dov was really organic and genuine. Although their connection was quick, it really felt honest to me – and that is coming from an old, married reader!!

This is definitely a book I will recommend highly to mature young adult readers. I think a lot of young adults will relate to this story and enjoy it thoroughly.

Thank you NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for a free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own....more

This is a prototypical coming-of-age story, though admittedly one that is done well. My main issue with this is that I'm too old for it; this is definitely targeted toward people at one particular moment in life, and I am not there anymore.

The premise is simple: high-school senior Lucy must navigate her last year of school, figure out what she wants to do with her life, and also fall in love with the new boy. There's some family drama addeReceived from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a prototypical coming-of-age story, though admittedly one that is done well. My main issue with this is that I'm too old for it; this is definitely targeted toward people at one particular moment in life, and I am not there anymore.

The premise is simple: high-school senior Lucy must navigate her last year of school, figure out what she wants to do with her life, and also fall in love with the new boy. There's some family drama added in there that I was actually quite fond of, and I wish that had taken center stage in this one. As it is, this book just feels tired and unoriginal and predictable.

Lucy is a pretty dull narrator, despite the author's clear intention otherwise. Lucy was designed to be interesting, but for me, she was not. In fact, every other character drew more of my interest, particularly Lucy's brothers and Dov. Dov carries much of the story, and I found myself wishing he was our narrator multiple times throughout the book.

Now, I may have this wrong, but what I got from this was that Lucy is Jewish while Dov is Israeli, and seeing that difference was interesting to me (Dov may actually also be Jewish, but I'm not too sure. I think that's more on my ignorance than the writing, though). I liked that there was this thread that bound them together, and it's what fueled much of Lucy's initial interest in Dov. That was much needed, because if she had just mooned over how pretty Dov was the entire time, I wouldn't have been able to finish it.

I also enjoyed Lucy's family dynamic, especially Lucy's relationship with her mother. Their relationship felt the most realistic and natural to me, leaving me feeling all the same emotions that Lucy did. I could also relate to Lucy's feelings of love and obligation toward her younger brothers, but her relationship with them felt more like a plot device than anything else. Her brothers were there to drive Lucy's frustration with her parents, and that kind of made it hard for me to believe she loved them as much as she claimed she did, particularly at the end of the story.

I really couldn't have cared less about Lucy and Dov's relationship, though. It was clear from the beginning that this was an insta-love story, and unfortunately, that was it. Lucy is so obsessed with Dov from the moment she (literally) crashes into him, and we find out later that Dov feels the same way. Spare me. I'm too old for this--seriously, I probably would've loved that aspect as a teenager, but I find it a bit off-putting at this point.

The book is definitely exposition heavy, which caused me to start skimming because I couldn't handle that much time in Lucy's head. While the dialogue was very well-written and engaging, I quickly lost interest in much of the exposition. Otherwise, the writing was fine; nothing special, but not awful either. A solid 3 out of 5, much like all other aspects of this novel.

I hated the resolution, though. Without spoiling anything, it is way too convenient and predictable. While it isn't what someone would classify as the "perfect" ending for these two, it's pretty close. Lucy (supposedly) undergoes this journey of self-discovery and independence, and it's kind of ruined in the end because her motivations are off. I was so frustrated by it that I almost knocked it down to 2 stars, but ultimately, the book doesn't deserve that low a rating, no matter my personal opinions on the ending.

6/10 would recommend to a teenager who's panicking about life after high school and how that will impact their significant other. Because really, that's the target audience for that one....more

This book. THIS BOOK. It's so hard to finish a book when you can find better things to do/read every time you look away. I have so many conflicting feelings in regard to this book. Perhaps most of it lies on the fact that I don't care about teenage angst + romance. It's just not appealing to me and I can't find a connection. I've never wanted someone so much that I would not pr

This book. THIS BOOK. It's so hard to finish a book when you can find better things to do/read every time you look away. I have so many conflicting feelings in regard to this book. Perhaps most of it lies on the fact that I don't care about teenage angst + romance. It's just not appealing to me and I can't find a connection. I've never wanted someone so much that I would not prioritize myself in the process.

Lucy is in the throes of such an ordeal. Her mother has moved across the country to pursue a job and her father is not exactly the stay at home type. So the responsibility to take care of her younger brothers fall on her shoulders. She quit ballet to be with her boyfriend Scott, but they broke up when he revealed he wasn't interested in a long distance relationship. Her only reason to go to Northwestern was to be with Scott and now those plans are in question. Did she ever want to go to that school or was she doing what others expected of her. In fact, it's starting to feel a lot like everyone else has a say on her life except for her.

In comes Dov, an Israeli transfer student who's...exotic. This is when I started taking issue with the characters. Lucy eloquently tells him that his "English is great." After being corrected that most people in Israel are bilingual, she doubles down and says "What I mean is you don't have much of an accent." I know some people may take this as a compliment but can we agree that this is a sort of microaggression that seeks to other people. I'm assuming Lucy is white and here comes Dov with his ethnicity who brings something different to her suburban life. She's fascinated with his culture but on a superficial level. It's similar to when people like anime and think that's all to Japan. Lucy likes the hebrew poetry and is enamored with the idea that mandatory military service is noble.

So, I don't think this book has to be about the Palestine and Israeli conflict. It would be too much to handle for a fluffy romance. There are some mentions of the killings in the Gaza strip, but NO MENTION OF PALESTINIANS. We aren't asked to question why Dov wants to serve aside from honoring his brother. He even says a reason why he wants to join the military is because he's worried what his friends and classmates will think of him if he doesn't. It's...troubling. A place does not have to be defined by violence and there are many normal days. But it's something else when you can hear bombings and there are walls erected to keep out the Palestinians after they were evicted and their homes were demolished. I mean, colonialism right?

Did I even like The Truth About Leaving? Well there were nice things. Amy, her grandmother, was the voice of reason. She helped Lucy understand her mother's intentions as a parent and as a person. Her mother wasn't portrayed as an uncaring monster. I think it's reasonable to want the best for your child even if it means doing what's best for you. Lucy for the most part took care of her brothers no matter how begrudgingly and her parents were active in the story. There's diversity if you consider Judaism an ethnicity.

In the end, did Lucy learn anything? No. She fell in love with Dov because every other character aggressively coupled them. It's always a mention of how hot Dov is and mistaking them in a relationship. We are led to believe they should be together but in reality there isn't any evidence to show for it. Another thing, Lucy's main problem is that she has too many options. The future is limitless. Yeah, I want to sigh and roll my eyes. I get there is anxiety when it comes to choosing the right path, but it's a tad bit dramatic to try and sell me on the idea that one can be too privileged. Lucy is never really concerned with money and how she can afford to go to these expensive schools let alone find the time to take a gap year and travel the world. Some people join the military just so they can go to college and here she is "bemoaning" an opportunity to teach ballet overseas. I'm just over it.

I recommend this if you like weird happy endings that makes you think this could only happen if your parents have enough money and are almost unrealistically supportive of you discovering yourself. Here's to another teen romance where they spout I love yous and it's pretty empty.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for this advance readers copy in exchange for a fair review!

This book is not what you expect going into it. Yes, it's a sweet love story between an Israeli boy and an American girl, both of whom are Jewish. Yes, it's a coming-of-age story about choosing a college and learning how to be selfish for yourself when necessary, and when the situation is about more than your preferences. But it's also a beautiful take on honoring one's country with military service, the romantic power of poetry, and the significance of one'TW: talk of suicide, loss of a sibling

This book is not what you expect going into it. Yes, it's a sweet love story between an Israeli boy and an American girl, both of whom are Jewish. Yes, it's a coming-of-age story about choosing a college and learning how to be selfish for yourself when necessary, and when the situation is about more than your preferences. But it's also a beautiful take on honoring one's country with military service, the romantic power of poetry, and the significance of one's culture.

Lucy is a selfless, sweet older sister who is always at home babysitting her younger brothers while her parents both work as professors... her mother in California, her father at the local university. There's a ton of pressure on her to attend the same university so she can live at home and still help out, but Lucy is more interested in helping the world and teaching dance than remaining in Chicago. Especially after she meets Dov, a transfer student from Israel recovering from a recent tragedy in his family.

Dov was kind of like a modern Mr. Darcy. Very hot and cold, but as romantic as he is withdrawn. He had a tough couple of years and Lucy's naturally sweet nature brought out the kinder side of him which we all deserve. I will never get over how tender some of those scenes with Lucy are. Dov owns up to his mistakes and is utterly respectful of Lucy and her needs. Both of these characters are extremely mature for 18, and dealing with adult problems. This book is mature, not necessarily in the content but in the themes and discussions. These are situations younger readers will have a hard time understanding the significance of.

Dov wants to serve in the military, as is required for men in Israel. Due to a circumstance, however, it is no longer mandatory for him and his eerily absent parents don't want to sign the consent for him to serve. His need to return to Israel also places stress on his relationship with Lucy, as she feels she is second to him and his culture. Lucy also explores the idea of taking a gap year between high school and university. I have never seen either of these topics discussed in a YA novel before. I also rarely see YA with such a Jewish presence, particularly with the culture and including Hebrew while not making the story overtly religious.

I did find the story to be a little too mature at times for the target audience and the characters' ages, especially with such absent parents. Dov's parents never being around was really a convenience to the story. I also felt that ending didn't fit the story at all. It was too perfect, too much like Serendipity and all the overly Hollywood love stories out there. The scenes leading up to it were perfect, paced evenly and realistic, and then the ending felt like it was part of a separate draft a bit. It was as if the ending was what the author wanted, but not what fit the story.

All in all, I loved the unique story with the topics discussed and the diversity included. I'd recommend to anyone looking for a contemporary that's different for anything else on the market currently and for an older audience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own....more

tl; dr: Teenage love causes young girl to reconsider her plans after high school.

Review: This book was a surprise. I requested it for the cover. But, I am so glad that I did. It was exceptionally good. In the story, an American Jewish girl meets an Israeli Jewish boy at a high school in suburban Chicago. Having lived in Chicago, I found the descriptions strong. But, the strength of this book for me was the way that it dealt with the ways that teens deal with faith and nationality, particularlytl; dr: Teenage love causes young girl to reconsider her plans after high school.

Review: This book was a surprise. I requested it for the cover. But, I am so glad that I did. It was exceptionally good. In the story, an American Jewish girl meets an Israeli Jewish boy at a high school in suburban Chicago. Having lived in Chicago, I found the descriptions strong. But, the strength of this book for me was the way that it dealt with the ways that teens deal with faith and nationality, particularly Jewish kids. I grew up around Jewish kids, both Israelis and American Jews of all denominations. I don't know if I've ever read a book that explains the relationship between faith and Israel for American Jews today quite like this book.

Now, I am making this sound like a heavy tome. It isn't. It is basically a YA romance but with an important underlying story. It doesn't hurt that the Dov, the boy in this boy-girl romance, sounded pretty hot.

Overall, perfect YA for anyone, but definitely for Jewish tweens and anyone interested in Judaism for contemporary Jews.

The Truth About Leaving, by Natalie Blitt, is a story about a Jewish high school senior in the Chicago suburbs, and how her world turns upside down when she meets an Israeli transfer student on the first day of her senior year. The story follows her throughout her senior year as she navigates college applications and stressful family dynamics, and falling in love all over again.

After reading the book’s description, I was excited by the story and I found it to be well-written, and the charactersThe Truth About Leaving, by Natalie Blitt, is a story about a Jewish high school senior in the Chicago suburbs, and how her world turns upside down when she meets an Israeli transfer student on the first day of her senior year. The story follows her throughout her senior year as she navigates college applications and stressful family dynamics, and falling in love all over again.

After reading the book’s description, I was excited by the story and I found it to be well-written, and the characters to be well-developed. It was really interesting to see Lucy’s relationship with her mother over the course of the year, and the role that Lucy played within her family during the time her mother was away.

As a young Jewish woman, I really enjoyed seeing aspects of the Jewish culture in print, as so few novels address growing up as a Jewish teen in the US, but I felt as though these aspects of the plot could have been further explored. Poetry also played a large role within the novel, and I liked how it was woven throughout parts of the story, but wish it could have been used more widely. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I didn’t love it, and felt like more could have been done with the concept.

Thank you NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for a free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own....more

Thanks to Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for providing this free advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Natalie Blitt's The Truth About Leaving features the relationship between Lucy and Dov, where both know that Dov is returning to Israel at the end of the school year, partially because he has to and partially because he wants to. One of the best things about this book was the diversity. Lucy's grandmother has a femalCheck out this review and others at my blog Too Many Books!

Thanks to Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for providing this free advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Natalie Blitt's The Truth About Leaving features the relationship between Lucy and Dov, where both know that Dov is returning to Israel at the end of the school year, partially because he has to and partially because he wants to. One of the best things about this book was the diversity. Lucy's grandmother has a female partner and most of the characters are Jewish. This book could not have worked without the characters being Jewish, but it was incorporated subtlety, as none of the characters are particularly religious. While I am not Jewish, from my standpoint the representation seemed decent.

The characterization was the best part of the book for me as Lucy struggles to figure out what she wants versus what all of the other people in her life want. This includes dealing with the fact that her mother is working in California while the rest of the family stays in Illinois. While the college decision is difficult for many seniors, Lucy has no idea what it is what she personally wants before the novel takes place, and the growth is astonishing and well done. Even as she grows, she still is nervous to tell anyone the decisions that she wants to make. The character of Lucy was created extremely well, and her interactions and the relationships she changes are fascinating.

Dov is also an interesting character, as he comes from a different cultural background. I appreciate some of the explanations given to his background, particularly when it concerns Israeli culture, but I do feel like it began to go a little overboard. His parents are also enigmas that rarely show up. Some explanation is given to this, but a lot still remains up in the air.

My one big problem with this story was the length and slow pacing of it. I went into it somewhat with how culture seemed to be overexplained. I wish it was included more like the elements of dance and ballet were, with only simple explanations once rather than explaining every single element. There was just too much here, and some of it really dragged on, particularly in the beginning of the book. By the end, it does speed up and more of these unnecessary details are shed.

I really enjoyed this read though. A lot of the portrayals of concepts like grief and duty were really well discussed. The relationship between Dov and Lucy, once it starts, is really cute and they complement each other and helped the other to grow from the people they were at the beginning of the story. I loved Lucy's little brothers, especially because their lines were so accurate for a seven and a nine year old. Often, younger YA characters are too mature, but these kids were kids and the arguments were things that definitely happen. Lucy and her mother's relationship actually made me cry (in a good way!). Anyway, I would definitely recommend reading this book....more

I instantly related to Lucy, the main character of THE TRUTH ABOUT LEAVING, because of how the author creates that perfect, emotional push and pull between wanting independence and wanting to please her family and be there for them always. Amidst the the backdrop of her familial drama -- including a mother who seems to be putting her career before family, an overworked father, and two younger brothers in need of her attention -- Lucy falls for Dov, an Israeli boy, who makes her question everythiI instantly related to Lucy, the main character of THE TRUTH ABOUT LEAVING, because of how the author creates that perfect, emotional push and pull between wanting independence and wanting to please her family and be there for them always. Amidst the the backdrop of her familial drama -- including a mother who seems to be putting her career before family, an overworked father, and two younger brothers in need of her attention -- Lucy falls for Dov, an Israeli boy, who makes her question everything she thought was important. Lucy's coming-of-age realizations and Blitt's depictions of the slow, sometimes awkward process of falling in love make this book a great read for anyone who loves a sweet, tender romance....more

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I said I wanted to read more books I usually don’t read this year so I decided to request The Truth About Leaving from NetGalley. To be honest, I haven’t read a lot of YA Contemporaries since I was 14 and hooked on Sarah Dessen books. The last one I read was Tash Hearts Tolstoy. This one was pretty different in some ways from those books however, and similar in others.

First, it starts off with a senior in what seI received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I said I wanted to read more books I usually don’t read this year so I decided to request The Truth About Leaving from NetGalley. To be honest, I haven’t read a lot of YA Contemporaries since I was 14 and hooked on Sarah Dessen books. The last one I read was Tash Hearts Tolstoy. This one was pretty different in some ways from those books however, and similar in others.

First, it starts off with a senior in what seems like a posh high school. Lucy’s boyfriend just dumped her and her college plans hasn’t been panning out the way she hoped it would. Plus, a new boy from Israel recently transferred to their school which was something unheard off.

I’ll be honest, I cringed a lot at the start. Dov was the new kid who was either struggling to fit in or wasn’t even bothering. Meanwhile, Lucy just basically inserts himself into his life and barely a day or a few after meeting him asks inappropriate, insensitive, and frankly offensive questions. Why would you ask if terrorism and violence are part of his everyday life? For that matter, why would you ask if his brother died in combat? It struck me as inappropriate as she barely knows the guy and it just didn’t seem right for her to do that.

Lucy strikes me as a mixed-bag as a character. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it makes her more realistic to have both good qualities and flaws. However, it did strike me as a bit odd how it seemed like she moved on so quickly from her ex who she described as the boy she’s loved her entire life.

One thing that peeved me a lot about her character was her rudeness to her parents. I absolutely hate it when I see it in YA Contemporaries. Sure, some parents are toxic but Lucy’s didn’t strike me as being that way. They’re parents concerned about their daughter. Also, does being 18 somehow magically grant you the license to do whatever you want? I’m 19, about to graduate from college and go to law school but I still have to do what my parents tell me to.

However, I did appreciate her character growth. She has a personality and a life separate from Dov and appreciate that. She likes dancing- ballet to be specific and pursues it. She gets to know what she wants and was able to adapt to changes in her life and make decisions accordingly. I did find her decision-making somewhat hasty but given the circumstances, I suppose I can understand it.

Dov really struck me as being kind of a manic pixie dream guy. He’s not that bad as love interests go but he was really a bit of a manic pixie dream guy in the beginning. He exchanges poems with Lucy then runs hot and cold then it turns out he has a sad, tragic backstory which explains it. The whole song and dance kind of made me roll my eyes a bit. But I do like how he encourages Lucy to follow her dreams and do the things she like. He even encouraged her to dance again which was a pretty good thing.

The plot was really standard YA Contemporary stuff. Boy meets girl, they fall in love but there’s trials and drama and angst along the way. The angst here involves Dov going back to Israel for military service and whatever I may feel about compulsory military service, it was kind of annoying how Lucy can’t seem to understand it at first. She does come around to it and they resolve the conflict. For the most part though, what really made this book shine for me was the inclusion of the Hebrew language and Jewish traditions. Both Lucy and Dov are Jewish and while I can’t speak for the Jewish rep, I enjoyed the parts where it was described. I also liked that Dov speaks Hebrew here because I am a fan of different languages.

Overall, the book was okay. It’s a nice quick read and there may be a lot to appreciate. I did dock a star for the angsty teen stuff and ultimately gave it a 3 because it’s really just mostly okay for me. If you’re a fan of YA Contemporaries and looking for Jewish rep, this may be for you.

Then there was Thomas Gray's statement that poetry is "thoughts that breathe, and words that burn."

I marked a lot of passages in this book but most of them were too long to include on here so I picked the above seeings as Lucy loves words and understands the affects of using the right or wrong ones.

Lucy has just come out of a relationship that to her wasn't everything she wanted but to her parents was the perfect fit. Lucy is about to start senior year and has some big decisions ahead of her andThen there was Thomas Gray's statement that poetry is "thoughts that breathe, and words that burn."

I marked a lot of passages in this book but most of them were too long to include on here so I picked the above seeings as Lucy loves words and understands the affects of using the right or wrong ones.

Lucy has just come out of a relationship that to her wasn't everything she wanted but to her parents was the perfect fit. Lucy is about to start senior year and has some big decisions ahead of her and has no idea where she is going or what she is going to do, the only thing she resolves to do is not to get involved with anyone and just to enjoy senior year with her best friend Maddie. That is until she literally falls into Dov, an Israeli student who has just joined the school for his last year.

I made a note instantly in my Kindle when Lucy fell into Dov's arms that it was very cliche but most of what follows isn't. We gradually learn more and more about who Dov really is, his family life, the tragedy he's faced but also how living in Israel isn't necessarily like living in a war torn desert. Lucy gets a wake up call in this when she often says things that are quite offensive and prejudice, without really realising, and Dov gets defensive.

There's a passage where Dov relates a poem in their English class and it's called "The Diameter of a Bomb." It's about how a bomb that can fit in your hands can cause much wider spread destruction once it detonates. How the lives of the people around who deal with the wreckage are affected, and then the people directly affected by the bomb and then further how this devastation has a ripple effect onto other countries even. This book is filled with little life lessons that both Dov and Lucy learn throughout and I found them very enjoyable, to see how they grow and mature throughout the novel.

Dov and Lucy are both well rounded out characters. We learn lots about their families and not just enough to keep the story ticking over but more than enough, plenty to really envelope us in the story. Lucy's mum works away from home. At first it was only meant to be 3 days a week but has recently turned into barely being home for 2 days at the weekend. Lucy has to assume a mother like role to her younger brothers, sacrificing the things she would like to do because she needs to take them or pick them up from school or because they need someone to mediate their current fight.We also learn about Lucy's previous relationship with Scott, how he pressured her into sex and how she always felt like she was fighting for her own consent.

"I can't believe I thought I was in love with a guy who made me feel like I needed to rationalize why I didn't want to sleep with him."With Scott, I practically felt like I had to keep a chart of when I said yes and when I said no. If I said yes on a Monday, I remember thinking all the time, it would probably buy me a few dates when I could say no."

Reading the above quotes were quite startling to me. It should never be the case in a relationship that if you aren't ready that you should feel bad or be made to rationalize why you aren't ready.

We learn of Dov's family, even his family history in Israel all the way back to his grandparents. The tragedy his family has been through and how that has rippled into the future with the way Dov is treated by his parents, how he perceives their strict rules and how they see Dov.

I enjoyed this novel very much. As it's a YA novel you can expect much of what you normally would but you might also be surprised by what else is in this book....more

I received an ARC from Teenreads.com and this review was originally published on their website.

The Truth About Leaving starts the day before Lucy (the protagonist)’s senior year. Lucy has has just been dumped by her boyfriend, Scott. While she is upset, she still feels good enough the next day to do spontaneous pirouettes in the front foyer of her school. She stumbles out of her turns and bumps into a boy she doesn’t recognize, providing a traditional meet-cute.

While the book starts off genericI received an ARC from Teenreads.com and this review was originally published on their website.

The Truth About Leaving starts the day before Lucy (the protagonist)’s senior year. Lucy has has just been dumped by her boyfriend, Scott. While she is upset, she still feels good enough the next day to do spontaneous pirouettes in the front foyer of her school. She stumbles out of her turns and bumps into a boy she doesn’t recognize, providing a traditional meet-cute.

While the book starts off generically, it becomes more unique the more you read. The book details Lucy’s senior year as she contemplates her future and gets to know Dov (who is both an Israeli transfer student and the boy she knocked over doing fouettes). Her mom’s move to California for work results in Lucy being saddled with additional responsibilities at home, where she is expected to take care of her younger brothers. She has a tense relationship with her mom, who she resents for selfishly pursuing a work opportunity and for being absent during her senior year.

The Truth About Leaving openly discusses unwanted pressure from significant others and the feeling of being lost. After having quit ballet in order to spend time with Scott, Lucy finds her way back to the studio as a student and teacher. She eventually realizes that it wasn’t worth giving up something that she loved so much in order to spend time with a boyfriend who puts pressure on her. Alternative decisions to college are also viewed positively. While Lucy and Dov go to a seemingly strenuous school called Wilmette Academy (with a perfect record of graduates going on to college immediately following high school), several characters voice their support for students making the right choice for them, whether that be attending college straight away or taking a gap year.

Since Lucy and Dov initially bond by sharing poems in a poetry class, this book is perfect for people who like to read verse and interpret its meanings. Through their poetry selections, readers can learn more about the characters themselves. The book emphasizes the power of words: to express, to explain, to ponder, to heal, to love, and to reflect.

Though Lucy is the protagonist, the most complete and raw character is Dov. He is deep in a way that she is not. While Lucy thinks her problems (such as the stress of college admissions and having to care for two rambunctious little brothers) are difficult, she realizes how privileged her life has been when she hears about Dov’s life and what he has gone through. Thus the depth of Dov’s character, his emotions, and his kindness are what make this book special. (If Ms. Blitt is reading this, I would have no objections to a sequel from Dov’s point-of-view.)

The Truth About Leaving is a congenial story that is both recognizable and unconventional. It is a perfectly cozy read for most anyone who enjoys romance books. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC!

I think I wanted to like this book more than I did. I'm always on the lookout for good Jewish rep and I'd seen this mentioned, so I was looking forward to it. In that respect, it was a decent choice. But as an overall book...less so.

My main issue was that the love story didn't hold up for me. Dov didn't seem to have much personality, and the whole shy/surly guy who has Something Hard In His Past but is really sensitive and into poetry thing doesn't seemThanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC!

I think I wanted to like this book more than I did. I'm always on the lookout for good Jewish rep and I'd seen this mentioned, so I was looking forward to it. In that respect, it was a decent choice. But as an overall book...less so.

My main issue was that the love story didn't hold up for me. Dov didn't seem to have much personality, and the whole shy/surly guy who has Something Hard In His Past but is really sensitive and into poetry thing doesn't seem tremendously original. The Dov/Lucy falling in love process practically goes down a YA novel checklist: main character is clumsy and awkward in front of the broody new guy - check, trapped outside together in a rainstorm - check, "Do you know how hard it is to keep my hands to myself?!" conversation - check. I just didn't feel a particular chemistry between the two of them, so a large chunk of the book rang hollow and uninteresting for me.

It's especially a shame because there were elements that seemed to be new territory. The discussions of not being inspired by a particular college or subject, the pressure to balance school, home responsibilities, romance, friendship, and having a senior year experience - those had some juice to them. I liked that there wasn't a clean wrapup on the story with Lucy's mother. Most often situations like that don't get suddenly resolved, and her father admitting that they were just muddling through a little was refreshingly realistic. (Although I do wish there had been a further exploration of what seems to have been a depressive period lasting several years, followed by Lucy's mother apparently leaving that whole thing behind and kinda ignoring her daughter.) It was also nice to read a YA book where the main character does ballet without the cutthroat attitudes, eating disorders, and stress over a professional career. But I was disappointed by the treatment of Lucy's best friend Maggie, who basically existed to either say, "You loooooove him!" and "He sucks!" like a romcom best friend algorithm, and the romance plot, which was a driving force for the book, mostly left me shrugging.

This book is a fine read. The writing is solid, with occasional flashes of loveliness. The descriptions of Israel and Israeli culture brought back fond memories of my own year in Jerusalem. I'm always up for new, different, and authentic portrayals of Jewish characters in YA, and especially when it's better integrated than just a casual mention of a bar or bat mitzvah. But I wish there had been better character work done: I think the book would have been stronger for it....more

Guys. GUYS! I loved this book so much! We are introduced to our main character the day before her senior of high school, right after being dumped by her boyfriend before he leaves for college. All she's left with is an overwhelmed dad, a flighty mom, and two young brothers that she is stuck babysitting at the drop of a hat. When she walks into school the next day, she never thought she would literally run into the love of her life.

Dov moved to Chicago from Israel just in time for his senior yearGuys. GUYS! I loved this book so much! We are introduced to our main character the day before her senior of high school, right after being dumped by her boyfriend before he leaves for college. All she's left with is an overwhelmed dad, a flighty mom, and two young brothers that she is stuck babysitting at the drop of a hat. When she walks into school the next day, she never thought she would literally run into the love of her life.

Dov moved to Chicago from Israel just in time for his senior year of high school. As I've talked about before, I grew up in a predominately Jewish neighborhood and I was surrounded by Jewish culture for most of my adolescence. I loved hearing my friends speaking with their families in Hebrew and learning about the different holidays and traditions. And now we have an Israeli love interest.

When they are put together for partner work in poetry class, Lucy and Dov make a connection through words and poetry. There is a significant amount of Hebrew in the book—something I really loved, but may put off some readers. While Lucy is also Jewish, its much more casual—the more time she spends with Dov, the more she learns about her religion and her own family.

Another aspect that I really connected to was Lucy's love of dance. I will read any book that features dance, more specifically ballet. As Lucy is starting to realize that she has been living her life for the people around her and not for herself, she decides to return to one of her greatest passions. I loved that we got to see her kind of rediscover her love for dance and how she can continue to feel so rewarded as she looks as to what she’ll do after graduation.

I really loved Lucy and Dov's relationship and the passion they shared with each other, something they built towards as they formed a friendship. They pretty much stayed in their own little bubble, not interacting with hardly anyone else at school. Even Lucy's best friend Maddie was rarely around. I wish I could have seen how they were kind of out in the world together, instead of just spending so much of their time locked up in one of their homes.

All in all, I want to shove this book into everyone's arms so they can experience this romantic and self reflective story. I can't wait to read more from Natalie Blitt.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review....more

[4 STARS] - Arc provided through NetGalley in change of an honest review

This was a lovely and cute book, a perfect read for when you're in need of a story about a genuine and true love.

"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars" - Og Mandino

Lucy is going through a lot of stuff in one year. She has just ended a relationship, her mother has accepted a job on the other side of the country, leaving her and her dad to take care of her[4 STARS] - Arc provided through NetGalley in change of an honest review

This was a lovely and cute book, a perfect read for when you're in need of a story about a genuine and true love.

"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars" - Og Mandino

Lucy is going through a lot of stuff in one year. She has just ended a relationship, her mother has accepted a job on the other side of the country, leaving her and her dad to take care of her brothers. On top of all that, it's her last year of school, hence she has to decide which college she will go to the next year.

In the middle of it all, a new guy has arrived from Israel and is now her classmate and partner in a poetry class: Dov. Soon they begin to open up to each other and a true friendship ignites between them.

There were so many things I liked about this book: first, since Dov was from Israel, there were a lot of references to the country and to some poets and singers from there, which I found amazing, because I got to learn something new every chapter. Also, the book was filled with poems and quotes that supported and added depth to some of the problems Lucy was going through. On the course of the book, she thinks a lot about the decision she has to take, and while she ponders through her options, she made me realize and think about my own life.

"I need to do what's right for me, as hard as it is to figure out what that is"

It was a slow paced book, the relationship between Lucy and Dov developing slowly. That's the thing I missed most, maybe if some of the dramas were better developed, or more thrill and depth were added to the book, I would've enjoyed it more.

I really recommend it and I hope you fall in love with Dov and Lucy as much as I did. <3...more

You can view my full review on my blog here! I received an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At the beginning of the novel, Lucy thinks she has everything figured out. She’s going into senior year with a plan for college, a boyfriend, and a family situation she thinks she can juggle, despite her mom moving across the country for a brand-new job. Then on page one, her boyfriend Scott dumps her. As she’s recovering from the blow, she quite literally sYou can view my full review on my blog here! I received an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At the beginning of the novel, Lucy thinks she has everything figured out. She’s going into senior year with a plan for college, a boyfriend, and a family situation she thinks she can juggle, despite her mom moving across the country for a brand-new job. Then on page one, her boyfriend Scott dumps her. As she’s recovering from the blow, she quite literally stumbles across Dov, a transfer student from Israel, fresh on the scene of her small high school. And we’ve got a story, folks.

I haven’t genuinely enjoyed reading romance in YA in awhile, and this one really got me! Dov is not your typical YA love interest— maybe I love finally seeing characters from other places besides the United States and Europe, or maybe I just found him intriguing. He certainly has a lot to unpack, and he’s very stubborn— and what I think is nice is that Lucy accepts this. She’s very careful as she’s getting to know him, and they get a sort of slow burn. We don’t get the insta-love YA romance so often suffers from.

What is also very nice is that while, yes, the romance is a main focus, this story is not only about Lucy’s relationship with Dov. More broadly, I’d say this is a novel about a girl trying to figure herself out and shape her world in a way that she can be satisfied with, despite expectations from her family and the pressure of high school culture.

Lucy’s family is threatening to break with her mom being away, and she has a lot of responsibility taking care of her brothers. And on top of it all, she’s trying to figure out what to do about college— for a long time, she’s just assumed she’ll go to Northwestern, but now she’s not so sure. Dov throws everything out of orbit, and she has to figure out what she really wants.

It’s nice to see girls in fiction figuring out their futures. It’s also nice when there’s a guy, but the guy doesn’t drive everything they decide. This is a beautiful read, a convincing teenage love story, and a coming-of-age for a main character who deserves to craft the future she wants.

Originally from Canada, Natalie Blitt grew up on a steady diet of loyalist adventure stories. It wasn’t until she moved to Chicago after graduating from McGill and receiving a journalism degree from the University of King’s College, that she learned that not everybody sees the loyalists as the heroes. Now living in the Chicago-area, she dreams up young adult novels of a different sort: more kissinOriginally from Canada, Natalie Blitt grew up on a steady diet of loyalist adventure stories. It wasn’t until she moved to Chicago after graduating from McGill and receiving a journalism degree from the University of King’s College, that she learned that not everybody sees the loyalists as the heroes. Now living in the Chicago-area, she dreams up young adult novels of a different sort: more kissing, less guns, but always a lot of loyalty. Natalie works at an education think tank and lives with her husband and their three sons. She knows a lot about baseball. She has no choice.

Natalie is represented by Rena Rossner at the Deborah Harris Agency....more